Dance career off to a flying start

SHOW TIME: Ardon England's act at the Tempo Dance Festival will focus on empowerment.

Whanganui dancer Ardon England has been chosen as one of five emerging choreographers to create a show at this year's Tempo Dance Festival.

England moved to Auckland earlier this year in pursuit of a dance career and, following a performance at the Pride Festival in February, he was approached by the Tempo Dance Festival.

He was invited to apply for the festival's Fresh programme for emerging artists.

"They give you everything," England said. "They give you staging, lighting and marketing, but you have to come up with your own choreography, make your own posters and sell your own show."

He created a 10-minute show called Fierce and, after pitching it to the organisers, was selected to have it put on at the festival, which will be held in Auckland in October.

"The show that I've created for Tempo is kind of based around the concept of what society says you should live up to and kind of someone struggling with those pressures," he said.

"Then having a moment where they kind of realise that being yourself is more important.

"The concept behind it is pretty much about empowerment, but I'm kind of making it more a statement towards women."

The show will be set against Beyonce songs selected by England for their themes and lyrics.

"I thought about who I look up to as an artist who is a woman of empowerment. So I'm using seven or eight Beyonce songs that kind of help paint a picture of the story that I'm creating. In some ways the music is the dialogue."

England will dance in the show himself along with four female dancers and he said he was looking forward to the opportunity to choreograph a show.

"To be diverse in the industry you have to be able to do everything.

"This is given me the opportunity to step out of just being a dancer and getting me to think about the whole concept. Having the chance to create something that's yours is a pretty awesome feeling."

England said it further vindicated his decision to move to Auckland.

"It's really big actually for only being in Auckland four months and kind of leaping at the chance of becoming a dancer.

"In this industry so many people are fighting for that same thing, so for me it really feels like the right time and the right place, like I've really fallen on my feet. It makes me want to push even harder to see where I can end up."